Top three themes

1. Opinions of the system of governing

Opinions of the system of governing are at their lowest point in the 15-year Audit series – worse now than in the aftermath of the MPs’ expenses scandal

2. Appetite for radical political changes

People are pessimistic about the country’s problems and their possible solution, with sizeable numbers willing to entertain radical political changes

3. Feelings of powerlessness and disengagement

Core indicators of political engagement remain stable but, beneath the surface, the strongest feelings of powerlessness and disengagement are intensifying

Key findings

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Opinions of the system of governing are at their lowest point in the 15-year Audit series – worse now than in the aftermath of the MPs’ expenses scandal

72% say the system of governing needs ‘quite a lot’ or ‘a great deal’ of improvement.

The number of people who say the system needs ‘a great deal’ of improvement has risen eight points in a year, to 37%.

Asked whether the problem is the system or the people, the largest group (38%) say ‘both’.

Britons have more confidence in the military and judges than in politicians to act in the public interest.

Only 25% of the public have confidence in MPs’ handling of Brexit.

50% say the main parties and politicians don’t care about people like them.

75% say the main political parties are so divided within themselves that they cannot serve the best interests of the country.

34% still consider themselves a ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ strong supporter of a political party.

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People are pessimistic about the country’s problems and their possible solution, with sizeable numbers willing to entertain radical political changes

Well over half the public are downbeat about the state of Britain – 56% think Britain is in decline, 63% think Britain’s system of government is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful, and 66% think most big issues facing the country today don’t have clear solutions.

54% say Britain needs a strong leader who is willing to break the rules.

The public are evenly split between those who prefer politicians who make compromises with people they disagree with (48%) and those who prefer politicians who stick to their positions (45%). 66% think politicians should be able to say what’s on their mind regardless of what anyone else thinks about their views.

42% think many of the country’s problems could be dealt with more effectively if the government didn’t have to worry so much about votes in Parliament.

Marginally more people prefer experienced political parties and leaders who have been in power before (47%) to those with radical ideas for change who haven’t been in power before (43%).

55% still think that big questions should be put to the public in referendums more often than today.

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Core indicators of political engagement remain stable but, beneath the surface, the strongest feelings of powerlessness and disengagement are intensifying

Core indicators of certainty to vote, and interest in and knowledge of politics, remain stable at average or above-average levels.

The number who ‘strongly disagree’ that political involvement can change the way the UK is run (18%) has hit a 15-year high.

Of 13 political activities, the number of people saying they would be prepared to do ‘none’ is up 10 points in a year to 22%.

47% feel they have no influence at all over national decision-making – a new high for the Audit series.

32% say they do not want to be involved ‘at all’ in local decision-making, a rise of 10 points in a year.

Compared to last year, more people say that they are not at all interested in politics and know nothing about it.

30% of people say they never discuss government and politics.

53% say they have not done any form of online political activity in the last year.

61% say they would be certain to vote in an immediate general election.

1. Opinions of the system of governing

Opinions of the system of governing are at their lowest point in the 15-year Audit series – worse now than in the aftermath of the MPs’ expenses scandal

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72% say the system of governing needs ‘quite a lot’ or ‘a great deal’ of improvement

72% say the system of governing needs ‘quite a lot’ or ‘a great deal’ of improvement

This measure has risen by five points in the last year and now stands at its highest level in the Audit series, up by 12 points since the first Audit in 2004. The previous high point was in Audit 7, published in 2010 in the aftermath of the financial crisis and the MPs’ expenses scandal, when the figure reached 69%.

Q. Which of these statements best describes your opinion on the present system of governing Britain?

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

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The number of people who say the system needs ‘a great deal' of improvement has risen eight points in a year

The number of people who say the system needs ‘a great deal' of improvement has risen eight points in a year

This measure stands 19 points higher than it did in the first Audit, published in 2004, and 10 points higher than it did in Audit 7, published in 2010 after the MPs’ expenses scandal.

Q. Which of these statements best describes your opinion on the present system of governing Britain?

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

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Asked whether the problem is the system or the people, the largest group (38%) say ‘both’

Asked whether the problem is the system or the people, the largest group (38%) say ‘both’

A larger group says the problem is the people (29%) than the system (15%). Only 7% think both the system and the people work well.

Q. Which of the following best describes your opinion of the system of government and the people in decision-making positions in Britain these days?

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

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Britons have more confidence in the military and judges than in politicians to act in the public interest

Britons have more confidence in the military and judges than in politicians to act in the public interest

Civil servants, television broadcasters and trade unions command greater public confidence than do politicians. Those who voted ‘remain’ in the EU referendum are more likely than those who voted ‘leave’ to have confidence in judges, civil servants and Peers in the House of Lords. However, there is no difference in the confidence levels of ‘remainers’ and ‘leavers’ about the elected elements of Britain’s political system – the government, MPs and political parties.

Q. How much confidence, if any, do you have in each of the following to act in the best interests of the public?

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

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Only 25% of the public have confidence in MPs’ handling of Brexit

Only 25% of the public have confidence in MPs’ handling of Brexit

The public have most confidence in judges (49%) and civil servants (40%) when it comes to handling Brexit. But only one in five people (20%) have confidence in political parties’ handling of the issue.

Q. How much confidence, if any, do you have in each of the following when handling the issue of Britain’s exit from the European Union?

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

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People were also asked whether these groups’ and institutions’ handling of Brexit had given them more or less confidence in these groups and institutions to act in the public’s best interest. 60% said they had less confidence in political parties, 60% in the government and 57% in MPs as a result of their handling of Brexit. Confidence had been driven down the least in civil servants (41%) and judges (35%) as a result of their handling of Brexit.

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50% say the main parties and politicians don’t care about people like them

50% say the main parties and politicians don’t care about people like them

And 75% say the main political parties are so divided within themselves that they cannot serve the best interests of the country. Nevertheless, 43% of young people (18-24s) say they have confidence in the political parties to act in the public’s best interest, over ten points higher than in any other age group.

% Say the main parties and politicians don’t care about people like me *

% Say the main political parties are so divided within themselves that they cannot serve the best interests of the country *

% Complete / fair amount of confidence in political parties to act in the best interests of the public, by age group **

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* Q. To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statements…** Q. How much confidence, if any, do you have in political parties to act in the best interests of the public?

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34% still consider themselves a ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ strong supporter of a political party

34% still consider themselves a ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ strong supporter of a political party

This measure varies notably by socio-economic group. 45% of those in the AB group say that they are a ‘very’ or ‘fairly’ strong supporter of a party, while 78% in the C2 group and 72% in the DE group say that they are a supporter of a party only weakly or not at all.

Q. Would you call yourself a very strong, fairly strong, not very strong, or not a supporter at all of any political party?

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

2. Appetite for radical political changes

People are pessimistic about the country’s problems and their possible solution, with sizeable numbers willing to entertain radical political changes

Well over half the public are downbeat about the state of Britain

% Think Britain is in decline *

% Think Britain's system of government is rigged to advantage the rich and powerful *

* Q. To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statements…** Q. I am going to show you pairs of statements. Even if neither is exactly right, please tell me where the FIRST statement or the SECOND statement comes closer to your own views…

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54% say Britain needs a strong leader who is willing to break the rules

54% say Britain needs a strong leader who is willing to break the rules

Two-thirds of the public (66%) think our politicians should be able to say what’s on their minds, regardless of what anyone else thinks about their views. The public are evenly split between those who prefer politicians who make compromises with people they disagree with (48%) and those who prefer politicians who stick to their positions (45%).

Britain needs a strong leader willing to break the rules (%) *

Politicians should be able to say what’s on their minds regardless of what anyone else thinks about their views (%) *

I prefer politicians who stick to their positions vs I prefer politicians who make compromises with people they disagree with (%) **

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* Q. To what extent, if at all, do you agree or disagree with the following statements…** Q. I am going to show you pairs of statements. Even if neither is exactly right, please tell me where the FIRST statement or the SECOND statement comes closer to your own views…

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42% think it would be better if the government didn’t have to worry so much about parliamentary votes when tackling the country’s problems

42% think it would be better if the government didn’t have to worry so much about parliamentary votes when tackling the country’s problems

But 50% think it would be risky to give the government more power to deal directly with these problems.

It would be risky to give the government more power to deal directly with many of the country’s problems

Many of the country’s problems could be dealt with more effectively if the government didn’t have to worry so much about votes in Parliament

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Marginally more people prefer experienced parties and leaders (47%) to those with radical ideas for change who have not been in power before (43%).

At a time like the present, we should stick with political parties and leaders who have been in power before

We should consider electing parties or leaders with radical ideas for change who haven’t been in power before

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Q. I am going to show you pairs of statements. Even if neither is exactly right, please tell me where the FIRST statement or the SECOND statement comes closer to your own views.

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55% still think that big questions should be put to the public in referendums more often than today

55% still think that big questions should be put to the public in referendums more often than today

This is slightly down from last year’s 58%. Support for greater use of this form of decision-making has continued to decline from the high of 76% recorded before the 2016 EU membership referendum.

Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree that important questions should be determined by referendums more often than today?

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

3. Feelings of powerlessness and disengagement

Core indicators of political engagement remain stable but, beneath the surface, the strongest feelings of powerlessness and disengagement are intensifying

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Core indicators of certainty to vote, and interest in and knowledge of politics, remain stable

Core indicators of certainty to vote, and interest in and knowledge of politics, remain stable

This Audit generally dispels the notion that the public are apathetic about politics. People’s certainty to vote, and their interest in and knowledge of politics, have been broadly stable since Audit 13, and this year’s results are again at the higher end of the spectrum. The public’s sense of political efficacy – the extent to which they believe becoming politically involved can change things – has remained broadly stable over the life of the Audit. But the measure of satisfaction with the system of governing is on a long-term downward trend.

Core engagement indicators (Audit 1 – Audit 16)

NB: Date labels mark the Audit of Political Engagement that followed the event.

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

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The number who ‘strongly disagree’ that political involvement can change the way the UK is run has hit a 15-year high

The number who ‘strongly disagree’ that political involvement can change the way the UK is run has hit a 15-year high

This measure, of the number of people who feel most powerless, has jumped 6 points in a year to 18%, the highest level in the history of the Audit. Only three in ten people feel that getting involved in politics really can change the way the UK is run.

Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement: When people like me get involved in politics, they really can change the way that the UK is run.

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

Of 13 political activities, the number of people saying they would be prepared to do ‘none’ is up 10 points in a year

Q. Which of the following would you be prepared to do if you felt strongly enough about an issue?

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47% feel they have no influence at all over national decision-making – a new high for the Audit series

47% feel they have no influence at all over national decision-making – a new high for the Audit series

At the local level, the number of those feeling they have no influence at all (42%) is also an Audit record. At the national and local levels, the numbers of those feeling they have no influence at all have jumped by seven and nine points in a year, respectively. This intensification of the strongest feelings of powerlessness has occurred even as the overall measures of people’s sense of influence, which include those who feel less strongly, have declined only slightly since last year.

Q. How much influence, if any, do you feel you have over decision making in the country as a whole?

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

Q. How much influence, if any, do you feel you have over decision making in your local area?

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

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32% say they do not want to be involved ‘at all’ in local decision-making, a rise of 10 points in a year

32% say they do not want to be involved ‘at all’ in local decision-making, a rise of 10 points in a year

With respect to national decision-making, the number saying they do not want to be involved ‘at all’ is up by nine points in a year, to 35%. These are the highest levels of disengagement measured on these indicators in the Audit series. The numbers saying that they would like to be ‘fairly involved’ in decision-making have declined by nine points for the local level and four for the national; both are among the weakest results for these indicators since these questions were first asked in Audit 6, published in 2009.

Q. To what extent, if at all, would you like to be involved in decision making in the country as a whole?

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

Q. To what extent, if at all, would you like to be involved in decision making in your local area?

Cite as: Hansard Society Audit of Political Engagement 16

Compared to last year, more people say that they are not at all interested in politics and know nothing about it

Q. How interested would you say you are in politics?

Q. How much, if anything, do you feel you know about politics?

Q. How much, if anything, do you feel you know about the UK Parliament?

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30% of people say they never discuss government and politics

30% of people say they never discuss government and politics

Nearly a third of people (32%) say they discuss government and politics at least a few times a week, with 38% saying they do so less frequently. Only one in ten say they discuss government and politics nearly every day. ‘Strong’ or ‘fairly strong’ supporters of a political party are over twice as likely to discuss government and politics at least a few times a week as those who support a party only weakly or not at all.

Q. Now, thinking about the people you talk with, whether in person, over the phone or on social media, how often, if at all, do you discuss government and politics with others?

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53% say they have not done any form of online political activity in the last year

53% say they have not done any form of online political activity in the last year

Among those who have done something political online in the last year, the most popular activities are watching politically-related video content (28%) and creating or signing e-petitions (28%). People are more likely to engage in online political activity if they are also more interested in politics, even controlling for age.

Q. In the last 12 months have you done any of the following?

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61% say they would be certain to vote in an immediate general election

61% say they would be certain to vote in an immediate general election

This core indicator has remained fairly stable in recent years and remains high in the context of the Audit series, notwithstanding the public’s intensifying feelings of powerlessness and dissatisfaction with the system of governing. 47% of 18-24s and 45% of 25-34s say they would be certain to vote, still lower than in older age groups.

Q. How likely would you be to vote in an immediate general election, on a scale of 1 to 10, where 10 means you would be absolutely certain to vote, and 1 means that you would be absolutely certain not to vote?

4. Methodology and downloads

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Methodology:

Each Audit report presents the findings from a face-to-face public opinion survey carried out on a representative quota sample of adults aged 18+ across Great Britain. This year’s survey was conducted between 30 November and 12 December 2018 by Ipsos MORI.

Available downloads:

Full report (PDF), including the demographic breakdown, methodology, and survey tables.